Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

As summer comes to a close and the weather starts to cool, the leaves start to fall, and spirits start to rise. Fall is for some people considered one of the best seasons of the year for an abundance of reasons. With the start of the new season also comes the beginning of activities unique to the fall.

With the brisk and comfortable weather of fall, many people choose to spend their time outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Activities can range from going on a relaxing walk or hike, to attending a fall festival. Diana Quillen, Spanish teacher at Woodstock High School, said, “I love to sit outside in the cool weather,” while Dr. Webb, history teacher at Woodstock High School, stated the contrary, “I enjoy going to festivals like the Yellow Daisy and Riverfest.” Riverfest occurs on the last weekend of September, and provides craft ideas, entertainment (such as local dancers and music), food to eat, and many stands for shopping. Both have already concluded for the season but are enjoyable activities to consider for next fall. Webb also mentioned, “Another thing I like to do is go to apple festivals! Ellijay is a great one.” The Ellijay apple festival is celebrated on October 11th-12th and on October 18th-19th as well. This festival includes a parade, a car show, crafting demonstrations, apple picking, and a variety of other features. It is a fun-filled outdoor activity to enjoy with family and friends.

Cagle’s Dairy Farm is also a great place to celebrate fall. Emma Gilbert, a junior at Woodstock High School, said, “Going to Cagle’s is one of my favorite things to do. It’s the epitome of fall.” At Cagle’s there are corn mazes, hay rides, pumpkin patches, and even a haunted house. This is an excellent place to go with friends, and it is open during all weekends in the fall, beginning August 29th and concluding on November 14th.

The coming of fall also brings about the excitement of football, both NFL and college teams. Coach Angela Lack, special education teacher and softball and lacrosse coach, said, “I like to watch college football and go to Mississippi State games.” Whether staying home to watch the game or actually attending, fall weekends are full of exciting games and rivalries, such as Alabama vs Auburn. Jerseys are broken out, and the competition between favorite players and teams begins. Along with this, fantasy football teams are being handpicked by groups of friends, crafted with the latest and the greatest. Fantasy teams are virtual and allow participants to choose players from different teams to create their ideal line-up. Then, based on the amount of yards, touchdowns, and other positive accomplishments that the player earns during a game, points are converted to determine the success of the team. Some college students are not only playing in fantasy but are also attending SEC football games in reality and having Sunday football parties with their closest friends. No matter which approach is taken, football is a crucial aspect of fall, in the South especially.

As fall continues and football season progresses, it leads into the season of Halloween. People begin to drape spider webs onto their shrubs, hang spooky ghosts from their porches, and stock up on candy. Halloween brings with it even more activities. Coach Lack says, “Carving pumpkins is something I always do during the season.” She is not alone, as this activity is a fall favorite for many. Carving pumpkins is a fun and easy family activity that can result in a cute front porch decoration, as well as some yummy pumpkin seeds to snack on as well. Ms. Renee Dawson, lacrosse coach, added, “I loved anything Halloween-themed. I’m actually having a Halloween party at my house this year, and I always go to haunted houses.” This is another activity that many seem to favor during the month of October.

Haunted houses are the perfect way to get in the Halloween spirit by getting a little spooked. There are many haunted houses that are local to the area, as well as ones that are further away and larger. A local haunted house that many seem to enjoy is the Trail of Terror haunted house. It is located right next to Woodstock Elementary School on Rope Mill Road and features many people who live around the town. It is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in October starting at 7:30 PM. Prices for kids are $6, and prices for adults are $7. A little farther away, Netherworld is a larger haunted house that is known for the scare. It is located in Norcross and is open various hours in September, October, and even November. Tickets vary from $22 to $50 depending on the experience one chooses.

Fall is an all-around exciting time for many people to try new activities and to repeat old traditions. The weather is mild, pumpkin-flavored foods and drinks are delicious, and crafting is fun! With all of these exciting activities, who wouldn’t love fall?